P.U.P. Leader does not support reappointment of Justice Samuel Awich

Francis Fonseca

The proposed reappointment of Court of Appeal Justice Samuel Awich by the Prime Minister is facing opposition. The Justice’s contract ended on May fifteenth, and Prime Minister Dean Barrow has decided to extend it for another eight years, until Awich turns seventy-five. These appointments are generally done after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, though that is more a formality than anything of substance. On May nineteenth, Francis Fonseca received a letter from the Office of the Prime Minister informing him of the PM’s decision to renew the contract of Justice Awich. Today, he told us that he has consulted with the Bar Association, and neither he nor that body is prepared to support the reappointment.

Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader

“I immediately then wrote to the President of the Bar informing him that I had received this letter and that I was seeking the views of the Bar before I offered my views to the Prime Minister on the matter. The Bar then responded to my request after a few days and advised me that it was the consensus of the Bar Executive that they did not support the reappointment of Justice Samuel Awich to the Court of Appeal. That will form the basis for my response, which I intend to make today because I got the response from the Bar just Friday, and I also intend to advise the Prime Minister that I do not support the reappointment. And let me be very clear…I did not support the appointment in the first place, and neither did the Bar. When Justice Awich was first appointed to the Court of Appeal I wrote to the Prime Minister and advised him that I did not support that appointment and I pointed out to him certain concerns that had been raised with me by the Bar Association. So that is where it is, where that issue stands.”

Reporter

“Do you expect your opposition and the opposition of the Bar Association to sway the decision of the Prime Minister?”

Francis Fonseca

“Absolutely not! When he first appointed Justice Awich to the Court of Appeal neither I nor the Bar supported that appointment and he still went ahead and did it. And now I do not expect anything to change. I expect the Bar’s views to be ignored, and I expect my views and concerns to be ignored as well, as has been the normal practice of this Prime Minister.”

Fonseca would not comment on the grounds given by the Bar Association for withholding support for the reappointment of Justice Samuel Awich.

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3 Responses for “P.U.P. Leader does not support reappointment of Justice Samuel Awich”

Awich is not competent. He must not be allowed to continue as an appellate judge because he dithers and appears confused and confusing in all cases he presides. Is he really qualified and fortified with knowledge, or has he found a little backward country where he can peddle his incompetency like the Nigerian con artist peddling his non-commissioned renditions of past Belizean politicians. Awich is a qualified scoundrel and cannot be a high court jurist or any kind of jurist in Belize. Let’s have separation of powers in Belize so corrupt politicians cannot appoint corrupt judges to continue their corruption and pilfering of the Belizean Treasury.

I am now retired and live in Belize. It is clear that Awich will never give a judgment agaist the Government whatever the merits of the case. That is why Barrow wants him there. In addition Sosa, as a Court of Appeal Judge, owes the UDP for reinstating him a few years ago. So as long as Sosa and Awich are 2 of the 3 Court of Appeal judges all verdicts will go in favour of the Government.